PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - After two years of planning, construction for the new 19,000 square-feet two-story men’s homeless shelter in Peoria has begun.

Friday morning, the Salvation Army held a groundbreaking for the new men’s shelter, located on the corner of Jefferson and Bryan streets in Peoria.

Salvation Army Peoria Area Commander Major Heath Sells said the nonprofit raised $18 million of its $30 million goal total, getting funds from donors and city contributions. He also said the new shelter’s features include dorm space, life skills programs, job training, and mental and behavioral health resources.

Sells said he believes the new shelter will double the current capacity of 45 people, especially since in the past five years, he said homelessness in the Greater Peoria area has inc

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